Most popular items: Conforti claims to have the best biscuits and gravy north of the Mason-Dixon Line, the best fried chicken, and best liver and onions in town, as well as a burger as big as his head.

We ate: I had lunch at Mr. C’s with my friend, Ed Geeser. We decided that there were too many things on the menu we just had to try, so we ordered a lot. One of the great things about Mr. C’s is that nothing is terribly expensive — the giant cod dinner comes in at $7.99 as the highest-priced item.

Mr. C’s used to be a Dog ’n Suds, so Conforti kept several of the old items on the menu. Ed ordered the original Dog ’n Suds Texas Burger, as well as a half order of biscuits and gravy. Ed fancies himself something of a biscuits and gravy connoisseur.

I ordered the fried chicken with homemade mashed potatoes and gravy and cole slaw, and a side of hot wings. Then we put all the plates in the middle of the table and dug in.

I went back a second time with some co-workers to get one of the burgers, though not the one as big as Conforti’s head.

Ed said he couldn’t verify whether the biscuits and gravy were the best this side of the Mason-Dixon Line, but he said “they’re definitely in the running.” I liked them, too. The gravy was thick and peppery, and the biscuits were fresh. We joked that we got a half order of biscuits and a whole order of the gravy. In other words, they don’t skimp.

The chicken was great. It was cooked just right — super crispy on the outside and juicy inside, even the white meat. I usually pick around the skin to be healthier, but I found myself tearing off more pieces throughout the meal.

The wings were also crispy, just like I’d hoped. There’s nothing worse in a wing, as far as I’m concerned, than rubbery skin. These didn’t disappoint. However, I though it was a little strange that I ordered hot wings and they came as plain wings with a bottle of Frank’s RedHot sauce. But on the positive side, I put on what I wanted and wasn’t super messy from eating them.

Page 2 of 3 - If you like lumpy, dense mashed potatoes, these are for you. I wasn’t sure I’d like them, but the brown gravy was really good with them. I’m used to fluffier potatoes, but these were ones I’d order again.

My burger, the Hemingway, was made from fresh ground beef, which staff said was never frozen. It came with cheddar cheese, mushrooms and bacon. It was two-thirds of a pound and cost just $5.99. It was a solid burger — thick, juicy and bigger than the bun it was served on. I’d order it again.

We’ll get to that Texas burger in a moment.

Ahh factor: Mr. C’s menu is big and a little confusing. But the great thing about it is that you can basically just order what you want. Build your burger (single, double, triple or “fourple” patties), throw together your favorite breakfast items or ask for a particular type of sandwich and Mr. C’s will make it. They’ll put gravy on anything for 99 cents. Substitutions aren’t just allowed, they’re a way of life. I like that. It takes some of the pressure off ordering.

Hmm moment: Ed ordered his original Texas Burger but had to ask for the Coney sauce that should have been automatic on the Dog ’n Suds burger. When we asked Conforti about it, he explained that the other Dog ’n Suds in the area served their burgers with the sauce. But the former owner of the Dog ’n Suds where Mr. C’s is located didn’t serve them that way because his customers weren’t big fans of the sauce. So, Conforti has the Coney sauce on hand, but you have to ask for it in keeping with the location’s tradition. That’s actually kind of cool.

Next time I’ll: I’d order any of the same food again. But I wanted to use this space to just suggest that you give Mr. C’s a try. Conforti has heard from a number of people who won’t come down to his place because of its location on the far west side of town. “They tell me they’ll get shot in my parking lot,” he said. That’s silly. Mr. C’s has been open for 14 years and the place was well-attended both times I was there. There’s ample parking, and everyone I met was friendly. If you live on the east side, it’s a bit of a drive, but I’m a big fan of trying new places, especially local ones where the owner walks around filling coffees and patting his regulars on the backs. It was my kind of place.